Canadian Wine Guy

I’m not a big fan of bubblies but have been exploring Proseccos. They are versatile wines on there own and very food friendly. In my mind anywhere a Sauv Blanc can be paired they go well. This wine reminds me a lot of of a Prosecco. (I’m sure you figured there was a reason why I was going on about Proseccos:) ). Pale in color with a nice nose of minerality. On the mid pallet this wine is a nice, dry, crisp wine with some light apple flavours. It’s bubbles are light and unobtrusive. On the medium length finish the wine comes through with minerality that lives on nicely in the mouth. This is a very food friendly wine. I enjoyed it. I would give it an 88-89. A very nice wine for the money!

From the LCBO web site:
CASA DEA DEA’S CUVEE SPARKLING VQA LCBO 261263 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 18.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Casa-Dea Vineyards Ltd
Style: Light & Fruity Wine, Sparkling Wine, White 12.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 28 g/L

Tasting Note
Pale straw colour; light citrus aromas with mineral, yeasty and biscuit notes; off-dry with light apple and citrus fruit flavours.

Serving Suggestion
Serve chilled with spicy appetizers or fried foods.

From the winery’s web site:
2011 Dea’s Cuvée $18.95
12.1% 750mL VQA Prince Edward County

We are very happy with this light and bubbly Sparkling wine. It has distinct stone fruit on the nose and County minerality on the palate. A perfect wine to celebrate life with.

Another one from the County in the city event. I’ve had this wine for a number of years and enjoy it. Rieslings come in all flavours from sugar water to dry. My preferences lean in the direction of dry rather than sweet. This wine is pale in color with a nice nose of minerality. On the mid pallet the wine displays some lovely mineral flavors to match the nose. It’s nice, dry and crisp. On the long finish the wine has some nice zest that lives on in the wine. The wine has some nice mouth grip that allows it to linger nicely. This is exactly how I like my Rieslings and is a direct result of the minerality that comes from Prince Edward County terroir! This wine was my favourite white of the evening! I would give it a solid 89.

From the winery’s web site:
2009 Riesling $16.95 11.2% 750mL VQA Prince Edward County

This dry, zippy Riesling is a good representation of what the minerality of the county soil lends to our wines. The lemon zest “pops” your pallet, allowing the underlying hints of the tropics to follow.

A truly zesty Riesling, which pairs well with grilled salmon or chicken.

This is a grape I’d never heard of before a Savagnin blanc (no that’s not a typo). Pale in color with a mild nose of minerality as well as some butter. On the mid pallet the wine displays minerality to match the nose. It’s slightly tart and acidic on the finish. Being an unknown grape I had no expectations on what it should taste like. I had difficulty bucketing this wine. It was kind of Sauv Blanc like. I would give it an 88-89. For $28.95 there are a lot better wines for the money.

The Hidden bench 2008 Pinot Noir was one of my favorite Niagara Pinot Noirs. So I popped down to the winery to pick up this years for Christmas presents. Niagara wines can vary quite significantly. Garnet in color with a lovely pinot nose, some nice strawberry, red berries and rustic notes. On the mid pallet the wine displays some milder pinot flavors to match the nose. Red berries, strawberry and rustic flavors. On the medium finish the wine has some tannins, as well as some acidity. Compared to the 2008 this is a much milder pinot. I would give it an 89 or so. Not available at the LCBO but $38 at the winery. Unfortunately this one is no where as good. Quite disappointing 🙁

From the winery’s web site:
The first impressions on the nose with this wine are sour cherry, smoke and a rich concentration that reflect the 2009 vintage. A creamy, generous texture holds together the dark, savoury red fruits. Great structure and well concentrated with typical “cool-climate” Pinot Noir characteristic of earthy beetroot are highlighted with subtle pencil shavings. The Beamsville Bench is well expressed through this wine.

Inky dark in color (you should have seen the cork!) with am earthy nose as well as some dark berries. On the mid pallet the wine displays some dark berries and earth notes to match the nose. Maybe even some chocolate coming through. On the mid pallet the wine has some dry tannins and some mild acidity. I have to say this wine is better than I expected. I’ve previously had the wine and been a little underwhelmed. The reserve is so much more rich and complex. I would give it an 88-89!

From the LCBO web site:
HENRY OF PELHAM BACO NOIR VQA LCBO 270926 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 14.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Henry Of Pelham Family Est. Winery
Style: Full-bodied & Firm 13.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 14 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Deep ruby red colour with hints of purple; ripe blackberry and plum aromas with coffee, cedar and smoky notes; dry, full-bodied; black cherry flavour, well balanced with a long smokey finish.

I had the pleasure of attending the County in the City event at the Berkeley . A number of wineries from Prince Edward County came down to bring the fruits of their labour to our front door. I applaud those wineries that took the time to come and and spread the good word about the great wines coming out from the county. I last travelled to Prince Edward County in 2010 and was impressed with a number of the wines from there. One of the ones I was most impressed with was Casa Dea. Carmella Estates (Casa Dea’s previous name) had the distinction of being one of the longest Rieslings I had ever tasted. Paul Battilana the wine maker at Casa Dea came to the event and I enjoyed chatting with him about his passion and the great wines they are producing. I had a number of their wines at the event and I will post reviews of more of them in upcoming posts.

This wine was my hands down favourite of the night. And when you include the price I highly recommend it as a great bargain! Now Pinot Noir is one of those grapes that you either love or hate. This one is garnet in color with a nice rustic nose. On the mid pallet the wine has some lovely bold varietal pinot noir rustic flavours. This is not a fruity Pinot as some are. There’s lots to like here (if you like Pinots). On the long finish the wine has some nice dryness, minerality, and fine tannins that linger nicely in the mouth. I would pair it with some form of foul (chicken, turkey, Cornish hen) or red fish (salmon or trout) so that you can enjoy the lovely flavours of this wine. I would give it an 89. Paul thought it might keep for another couple years but personally I would be enjoying it now in all it’s glory! This one was so good I went back for more and ended my night with it!

Thanks Paul and your team for a great wine, please keep up the excellent work!

from the LCBO web site:
CASA-DEA PINOT NOIR 2009 VINTAGES 296210 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 19.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Casa-Dea Vineyards Ltd
Release Date: Dec 8, 2012
12.2% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Description
This lovely PEC Pinot offers exceptional value for Pinot Noir.

Tasting Note
Here’s a light, tight, juicy and mineral example of County pinot in the style that excels in the region. The palate is light and flavour intensity modest, but this displays a good dose of limestone minerality and delicate freshness that should be allowed to characterize the wines of the area. For current consumption or short term hold. Tasted September 2011. Drink 2011-2013. Score – 88. (John Szabo, M.S., winealign.com, Sept. 2011)

I quote from Wikipedia “Megalomania is a psychopathological disorder characterized by delusional fantasies of power, relevance, or omnipotence. ‘Megalomania is characterized by an inflated sense of self-esteem and overestimation by persons of their powers and beliefs’. Can you tell the name of this winery get up my nose? Nuff said.

Dark in color with a mild nose of red berries. On the mid pallet the wine displays some red berries a touch of tartness and some acidity. On the medium length finish there are some tannins, some dryness as well as some acidity coming through. I paired the wine with a filet mignon and the wine really did not hold up to the steak at all. I had to stop eating so I could focus on the wine to write this review. I would give it an 88-89. Not a bad wine, but sadly nothing outstanding either 🙁 But given the price it’s not a bad deal.

From the LCBO web site:
MEGALOMANIAC HOMEGROWN RED VQA LCBO 260364 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 13.95

Limited Time Offer
Was: $ 14.95 Now: $ 13.95 Save: $ 1.00 Until Apr 28, 2013
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: John Howard Cellars Of Distinction

Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity 13.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 13 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Bright medium ruby; aromas of cherries and berry fruit with smoky and herbaceous notes; dry and medium-bodied, with balanced acidity and moderate tannins; juicy black fruit flavours lead to a finish that is long and smooth.

Dark in color with a mild nose of red berries. On the mid pallet this wine is a deep rich cab, fruit forward with lovely dark cherries coming through. On the medium length finish the wine has some nice well balanced tannins and some nice dryness. It lives on nicely in the mouth with the rich dark cherries coming through without food but is not so strong as to overwhelm the food. I paired it with a Maltese baked rice (tomato based sauce). It went very well with the rustic flavors of the food. This wine is easily approachable now. This really is one of the better reds coming out of Niagara and when you factor in the price $21.95 this is not a bad deal at all. I applaud 13th St! I’ve been impressed with a number of their wines! I would give this a solid 89-90. Yumm. I bet it will keep pretty well too! Wish I’d bought more 🙁

From the winery’s website:
Tasting Notes

A nose of steeped black cherries, plums, sweet tobacco, bay leaf, earth and cedar with medium weight, balanced alcohol and fine mouth-coating tannins. This young wine will enjoy cellaring through 2018 or decant now for aeration and serve with roast duck, fine steaks, lamb stew or traditional moussaka, or firm aged sheep and cow’s milk cheeses.

This is the first year for this wine at Kacaba. I had the opportunity to taste this out of the tank bank in the fall and it was showing very well. I pre bought 6 of them! Pale in color with nice citrus nose. ON the mid pallet the wine displays some lovely citrus notes along with some grassy flavors. The wine is medium in length building nicely. It’s a milder Sauv blanc and very food friendly. For a first year off the vines the wine is quite good. This bodes well for future releases. I have often wondered why there aren’t more Sauv Blancs in the bench! I would give it an 88-89. $17.95 a bottle at the winery!

From the winery’s web site:
SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012
AROMATIC WITH CITRUS AND GRASSY NOTES. A CLEAN AND CRISP WINE OFFERING MANY LAYERS OF FLAVOR ON THE PALATE. HONEYDEW MELON, GRAPEFRUIT AND TART APPLE FLAVORS LINGER WITH A BALANCED ACIDITY THAT ADDS A REFRESHING QUALITY.

I’ve been to Calamus a number of times and never been disappointed. Derek and Pat have done a great job of setting up a winery that brings simple approachable wines at reasonable prices to the masses. I love what they have done with the old barn. It just seems consistent with the approach they take with the wine. Pat was behind the counter this time and as always the staff are great. Easy to talk to, not in the least pretentious, very down to earth! This wine is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot. I was shocked, I would have sworn there was Pinot Noir in the blend. Dark and rusty in color. The nose has some oak, some red berries and again I would have said Pinot noir like. On the mid pallet the wine has rustic notes, some earthyness, some red berries, more towards strawberry. The wine is on the lighter side of medium in length with easy tannins and a bit of dryness. This is a simple, approachable wine. At $16.20 it’s reasonably priced and very food friendly!

From the Winery’s web site:
Tasting Notes: Colour Ruby
Aroma Cherry, blackberry, vanilla
Palate Ripe currant and blackberry with moderate tannins.
Food Pairing
BBQ ribs, lamb, or chocolate desserts

Happy Easter to one and all from CWG and myself. For our family gathering quiche was on the menu so I selected two wines from our visit to Kacaba’s winery!

Bias up front I like my rieslings Dry, not sweet. This one is pale in color with a lovely lighter varietal riesling nose of dry honeysuckle, not too sweet on the nose. There’s a bit of bubbles on first pouring. On the mid pallet this is a smooth crisp dry Riesling with honeysuckle coming through but not at all too sweet. There’s a hint of effervescence on the tongue at first. The wine is medium in length with some lovely fruit coming through. This is a very food friendly wine. I would give it an 88-89. It available from the winery for !17.95 a bottle which IMHO is not a bad deal at all!

From the Winery’s web site:
RESERVE RIESLING 2012
MUCH MORE THAN A TYPICAL BENCH RIESLING! ALLURING NOTES OF RIPE MANGO, PEACH, YELLOW PLUM AND HONEYSUCKLE GIVE WAY TO A FRESH BALANCED ACIDITY AND A LONG FINISH BRIMMING WITH FLAVOUR. ENJOY ON ITS OWN OR WITH CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD DISHES.

Our second wine for the celebration was the Kacaba Susan’s Sauvignon Blanc. This it the first year for this wine at Kacaba. I tasted out of the barrel back in the fall and preordered a case of it. Very pale in color with a lovely varietal nose of citrus and grass. On the mid pallet the wine displays flavors spot on to the nose. Lovely citrus flavors along with some grass. This is lovely smooth well made sauv blanc. It’s amazing how good this is for the first year! The wine is medium in length in finish with smooth food friendly flavors. I would give it a good solid 89. $17.95 a bottle at the winery!

Both were awesome and paired very well with the quiche!

From the winery’s web site:
SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012
AROMATIC WITH CITRUS AND GRASSY NOTES. A CLEAN AND CRISP WINE OFFERING MANY LAYERS OF FLAVOR ON THE PALATE. HONEYDEW MELON, GRAPEFRUIT AND TART APPLE FLAVORS LINGER WITH A BALANCED ACIDITY THAT ADDS A REFRESHING QUALITY.

I’ve written up a number of Kacaba wine in the past. I love visiting their winery. The wines and the people are so approachable. Every year they are doing better and better with their wines. On this occasion Vadim Chelekhov the assistant wine maker was our host. He spent a lot of time with us sharing his passion for wine, his knowledge about the wine and about how he loves working at Kacaba. I really appreciate the time he spent with us there. If you haven’t made your way out to Kacaba yet, do!

This wine is pale in color with a lovely varietal chard nose with some oak and some vanilla coming through. On the mid pallet the wine displays some lovely vanilla to match the nose along with some pineapple. This wine is VERY sensitive to temperature. Serve it too cold and you will find it a bland wine with not a lot going on. Warm it up and it opens up nicely. I suspect it also maybe a bit too young. The wine has some butteryness to it and is backed by some acidity to match the pineapple on the mid pallet. I would give it an 88-89. Very nice, $22.95 a bottle at the winery.

From the Winery’s web site:
BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2011
AROMAS OF PINEAPPLE, GUAVA AND PEAR MINGLE WITH HINTS OF VANILLA. THE PALATE IS FULL BODIED AND RICH WITH THE PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN FRUIT, OAK AND ACIDITY. THIS WINE IS A JOY TO DRINK WHEN YOUNG BUT WILL ALSO AGE AND DEVELOP BEAUTIFULLY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.